A MAJOR arson investigation has been launched after a disastrous fire ripped through a Littleborough mill and threatened an historic hall nearby.

Two youths were seen running from Clegg Hall Mill in an "agitated fashion" just minutes before the building was engulfed in flames.

Firefighters from Rochdale, Heywood and Oldham had to battle the blaze through Friday night, using hundreds of thousands of gallons of water pumped from the canal, which runs alongside.

At least £250,000 of damage was caused. As part of a joint investigation with fire authorities, police are now appealing for information.

Detective Inspector Martin Jeffs said: "The smallest of fires can cause serious injury to children and it is incredibly stupid of them to light fires in that fashion.

"With that in mind and with it being Easter now, I would ask parents to try and be aware of where their children are and what they are doing."

The three-storey building in Clegg Hall Road has been empty for 10 years, but used to make fibre glass panels for hea- -vy goods vehicles. Fire experts believed abandoned fibreglass materials and resin probably caused the fire to spread so fast.

At one point there was concern that Clegg Hall - a listed heritage site - would be caught up in the blaze after flames spread to a second building.

Rochdale fire station commander Deon Webber said: "The inferno burst through so rapidly that it was soon a case of preventing it spreading anymore, rather than trying to save the mill itself. We did have some concerns about Clegg Hall, but, thankfully, it was never in direct danger. Firefighters were positioned to protect nearby buildings and contain what was a ferocious fire."

More than a dozen appliances, including 10 pumps and a breathing apparatus tender from Bolton, attended the fire which started at about 7pm.

The 17-hour blaze was finally extinguished shortly before 1pm on Saturday, having destroyed all but the four walls of the building.

"Unfortunately we saved very little because the fire was already in such a developed state when we arrived," Mr Webber said.

"It is very difficult to determine how it started, but there were known to be old timber floors in the mill and there is the possibility of combustible materials from the previous occupants being left behind."

He confirmed that the remains of the site might have to be demolished.

The white youths seen running from the site are described as 14 to 16 year olds. One was about 5ft 9in, with short brown hair, possibly with a centre parting. He was wearing a light coloured sweatshirt and light coloured trainers. He spoke with a local accent.

The second youth was about 5ft 6in tall and had a light-coloured shaven head, pale complexion and sunken cheeks. He wore a light grey or cream zip-up top and light-coloured tracksuit bottoms.

They were seen running along the canal bank away from the mill and one of them tried to cover his face.